Sometimes I ask myself “are you making any spiritual advancement?. Are you becoming free from lust anger and greed? And are you developing the qualities of a devotee?”. So, from time to time I go to the “qualities of a devotee”, which I have listed in my sadhana notebook, and do a reality check.

I was looking through some pictures this morning of Srila Prabhupada and my attention was drawn to this above image. He looked so peaceful, and I remembered that peacefulness is one of the transcendental qualities of the pure devotee. You can click on link at bottom of post to see the other Beautiful Transcendental Qualities of Srila Prabhupada.

Peaceful

Srila Prabhupada once described the mind of a pure devotee as being very peaceful, like a country pond filled with crystal-clear water, beautiful lotus flowers and swans gliding happily across it. This much desired state of mind is a natural quality of one who is situated in transcendence, at the lotus feet of Lord Krishna, far beyond the turbulent material world and senses. Srila Prabhupada was very peaceful due to his own pure Krishna consciousness. Shouldering the immense pressure and responsibility of a worldwide spiritual family, with its concomitant problems, Srila Prabhupada gracefully meted out love, guidance and practical instructions with full composure, never once losing touch with his peaceful Lord Krishna. (from “Srila Prabhupada’s Beautiful Transcendental Qualities” by Ajitananda das)

May there be good fortune throughout the universe, and may all envious persons be pacified. May all living entities become calm by practicing bhakti-yoga, for by accepting devotional service they will think of each other’s welfare. Therefore let us all engage in the service of the supreme transcendence, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and always remain absorbed in thought of Him. Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.18.9)

…Just like a desire tree, a Vaiṣṇava can fulfill all the desires of anyone who takes shelter of his lotus feet… he prays not for himself, but for all living entities—the gentle, the envious and the mischievous…This is the attitude of a Vaiṣṇava, who always thinks of the welfare of the entire universe.

…If the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement spreads all over the world, and if by the grace of Kṛṣṇa everyone accepts it, the thinking of envious people will change. Everyone will think of the welfare of others. (from purport)

“A New Year’s resolution is a commitment that a person makes to one or more personal goals, projects, or the reforming of a habit. A key element to a New Year’s resolution that sets it apart from other resolutions is that it is made in anticipation of the New Year and new beginnings.” (Wikipedia definition)

Every year it seems I make the fruitless attempt to write down my New Year’s Resolutions, vowing to do less of this and more of that. But this year, I am just going to try to be a better human being. I am just going to try to develop the qualities of a devotee, which are 26 in number, and try to get myself free from material entanglement and go Back Home, Back to Godhead.

The Twenty-Six Qualities of a Devotee

The Lord is satisfied by the development of the transcendental qualities of the living entities and not by artificial performance of sacrifices and mystic yoga. In other words, unless one is fully qualified to become a pure devotee of the Lord, one cannot expect to be liberated from material entanglement.

These qualities of a devotee, twenty-six in number, are listed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: